Happiness, as per Wikipedia definition, is a state of mind, which is used in the context of mental or emotional states, including positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. There are so many motivational speakers out there who keep emphasizing that happiness is in your hands. Michelle Obama in one of her interview also stated that there was a phase in her life where she could have just complained about all the problems. But she decided to take another route and lead her life to a positive direction. What’s interesting is that it is not only psychological, it is also a scientific fact that “Happiness is in your hands”.
Let’s understand the science behind it.
There are four hormones which determine a “human's happiness”:
Endorphins
Dopamine
Serotonin
Oxytocin
It is important we “understand these hormones” as we “need all four” of them “to stay happy”.
The first hormone is “Endorphins”. When we exercise, the body releases Endorphins. This hormone helps the body cope with the pain of exercising. We then enjoy exercising because these Endorphins will make us happy. “Laughter” is another good way of “generating Endorphins”. We need to spend “30 minutes exercising” every day, read or “watch funny stuff” to get our day's dose of Endorphins.
The second hormone is “Dopamine”. In our journey of life, we accomplish many little and big tasks. Our body releases various levels of Dopamine. When we get appreciated for our work at the office or at home, we feel accomplished and good, that is because it releases Dopamine.
The third hormone is Serotonin. The third hormone Serotonin is released when we act in a way that benefits others. When we transcend ourselves and give back to others or to nature or to the society, it releases Serotonin. Charity work, helping a friend or family member or even a stranger will give your body a signal to release Serotonin. Even, providing useful information on the internet like writing information blogs, answering people’s questions on Quora or Facebook groups will generate Serotonin. That is because we will use our precious time to help other people via different means.
The final hormone is Oxytocin. Oxytocin is released when we become close to other human beings. When we hug our friends or family “Oxytocin is released”. It's sometimes known as the "cuddle hormone" or the "love hormone," because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially.
So, it is simple, we have to exercise every day to get Endorphins, we have to accomplish little goals to get Dopamine, we need to be nice to others to get Serotonin and finally hug our kids, friends, and families to get Oxytocin and we will “Be Happy”. When we are happy, we can deal with our challenges and problems better. We, as adults, can make our own choices and figure out ways to be happy. However, as parents, or education providers, we have responsibility towards our kids who don’t have control over their emotions to help them to be happy and stay happy.
To make your child more and happier day by day, these are the following easy steps we all can follow in our daily lives:
Motivate him to play on the ground (outside or inside) – Endorphins
Appreciate your child for his small/big achievements – Dopamine
Inculcate sharing habit through you to your child – Serotonin
Hug your child –Oxytocin
Little steps make big impacts. Let’s all try to take small steps to make our lives HAPPIER.